The present invention generally relates to easily assembled outdoor furniture and/or shelving, and more particularly to a cart for a covered or kettle-type barbecue which is readily assembled without the use of threaded fasteners.
Conventional barbecues are typically packaged in disassembled format to more efficiently use retail display and storage space and also to save on shipping and handling costs. In the store, sample models of barbecues are often shown assembled for display purposes, but the purchasing customer must buy the grill in the boxed format and take it home to assemble it or have another party assemble it for him. Some retail establishments provide in-store assembly as a customer service. Whether the barbecue is assembled in the store by store personnel for the customer to take home, or by the customer himself once the grill is brought home, grill assembly is often a very tedious and/or complicated procedure, especially when gas grills are involved or where the customer is inexperienced in the use of hand tools.
Since mass market retailers are moving more and more towards reducing support staff wherever possible, the labor involved in assembling barbecues is a significant disincentive to providing this feature to customers. Employees tapped to assemble grills have often been pulled from more pressing duties.
Regardless of who performs the task, the assembly of a typical barbecue involves attaching legs to a kettle or bowl at the upper end of the legs, and often securing the legs by threaded fasteners such as screws or bolts. Alternatively, frames or carts must be assembled and secured by threaded fasteners. In addition, legs are typically supported at their lower ends for strength purposes by a lower bracket or shelf. Typically, this lower bracket also needs to be secured to the legs by threaded fasteners. At least one pair of wheels are also standard equipment on most conventional barbecues and require attachment to the legs or some portion of the frame. More advanced or expensive barbecues include side shelves to provide a place for plates, cooking utensils or condiments. Gas grills often require special brackets and fittings for the attachment of the liquid petroleum fuel tank.
The more complicated the design, and the more features such as shelves cabinets etc. which are provided, the longer assembly will take. Also, the more skilled the assembler must be, since very often components can be more quickly assembled by those having more experience, who learn the xe2x80x9ctricksxe2x80x9d of assembling particular designs. Conversely, inexperienced assemblers will often take unreasonably long periods of time to assemble grills with which they are unfamiliar.
Another drawback of conventional barbecue designs, is that the different configurations of lower portions, bowls or kettles often require individualized fastening arrangements or technologies.
Accordingly, it is a first object of the present invention to provide an improved barbecue cart which is easily assembled without the use of threaded fasteners.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved barbecue cart which includes shelves which can easily be adjusted as to their height without the use of threaded fasteners.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved barbecue cart assembly which is configured for receiving and retaining the barbecue bowl or kettle with a snap-type friction fit arrangement not requiring any fasteners.
The above-identified objects are met or exceeded by the present barbecue cart assembly, which features a readily assembled cart design including a plurality of legs, most preferably three or four to which are attached upper and lower brackets using a wedge-type friction fit arrangement. The upper bracket includes a clamp configured to circumscribe the lower portion of the grill also known as the bowl or kettle to frictionally retain the grill therein. Optionally, cantilever-type accessory or utensil shelves project from sides of the grill and are secured to the frame in the same manner as the upper and lower brackets. Also contemplated are pivoting light duty shelves or hanging brackets which are secured to one leg only by a similar wedge clamping arrangement.
More specifically, a cart is provided configured for receiving a kettle-type barbecue having a lid and a kettle portion, the cart including a lower bracket having at least three corners, each corner having a first female frusto-conical section shape and being configured to receive and securely hold a corner post having a male frusto-conical section shape. An upper bracket has at least three corners, each corner having a second female frusto-conical section shape and being configured to receive and securely hold a corner post having a male frusto-conical section shape. Also provided are a plurality of corner posts having a plurality of spaced annular grooves, and a plurality of male frusto-conical members configured for engaging the grooves and being disposed at a selected position on the corresponding corner post for engaging the female frusto-conical shapes on the corners. A kettle bracket is associated with the upper bracket and is configured for receiving the kettle portion of the barbecue in a frictional relationship.
In another embodiment, also provided is a lower bracket for use with a cart for supporting a barbecue, the lower bracket including a plurality of generally parallel, spaced load rods having first and second ends, a first support rod secured to a plurality of the first ends, a second support rod secured to a plurality of the second ends and a retaining wall secured to each of the support rods to project above a plane defined by the load rods.